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Betazed
Betazed is a class-M world, and home to the telepathic Betazoid race. It is the fifth planet in the Betazed system in the Alpha Quadrant, and is an important member world of the United Federation of Planets. Astronomical Data Location *Alpha Quadrant **Betazed system (aka Beta Zeta, Beta Veldonna and Hainara) Name(s) *Betazed *Beta Veldonna V *Beta Zeta V *Cyndriel *Hainara V Moon(s) *Four (4) **Avandar **Lonita **Merandar **Keylandar Statistics *'Gravity:' 1.0 g *'Atmosphere:' Oxygen-nitrogen, with Earth-normal pressure *'Percent land mass:' 22% *'Year:' 377.33 days *'Day:' 25 hours Further Information History Ancient History The ancient history of Betazed is shrouded in myth and legend (and most Betazoids seem to prefer it that way). Many tales speak of the gift of telepathy which the Betazoids "earned" from "the spirits" through their stewardship of the natural world. Other stories tell of great wars fought with an evil race possessing similar telepathic skills. Khrysaros All Betazoids know the legend of Khrysaros, a mystical hero who used his great mental powers to defeat "shadowy enemies" from the stars and usher in a golden age. His teachings lived on through his followers, especially the acolyte Rixx (named after a Betazoid godess). The Holy Rings of Betazed are said to have the power to summon Khrysaros again during Betazed's time of greatest need. (Last Unicorn Games: Planets of the UFP) Scholars credit Khrysaros' teachings with the unification of Betazed. Recent History Betazed was admitted into the United Federation of Planets in 2273. ( ) In 2366, Betazed hosted the Federation's biennial Trade Agreements Conference. ( ) The passed fairly close to Betazed in late 2367 and diverted its course to pick up Lwaxana Troi. ( ) In 2374, the Dominion invaded Betazed. The Federation Tenth Fleet had been assigned to defend the planet, but was caught out of position on a training exercise. As a result Betazed fell to the Dominion within ten hours. Once Betazed had been captured, other worlds nearby, including Vulcan, Tellar, Alpha Centauri and Andor were at risk of Dominion invasion. ( ) The Dominion used Betazoid slave labor to construct Sentok Nor in orbit of Betazed. Sentok Nor was used as a Jem'Hadar breeding facility during the Dominion occupation. ( novel: ) Captain David Gold's son, Nathan, was visiting Ambassador Lwaxana Troi just as the Jem'Hadar attacked. Her assistant, Homn, was killed when the Dominion fired on the surface. However, the inhabitants fought back, and eventually rid the world of Dominion forces, but not until after suffering heavy casualties themselves. ( short story: " "; novel: ) Cultural Nobility Although their power has waned over the millennia since their founding, the noble houses of Betazed still maintain a privileged status in Betazoid society. The houses were an institution long before the time of Khrysaros, their origins intertwined with Betazoid spirituality, the ancient wars, and the dawn of the priesthood. Even in the modern age, the houses retain much of their power and importance. Several of these houses have members who serve in Starfleet, including Logan MacLeod (Son of the Second House), Deanna Troi (Daughter of the Fifth House), Timothy Sinclair (Son of the Seventh House), Ashley Bulala, and Charas Kinora (Son of the Eighth House). Spirituality Because of the spirituality of Betazoids, there are many standing stones, quiet shrines and other religious monuments that dot the surface of Betazed. Unlike many other modern cultures, Betazoids are slow to give up their mythical traditions, preferring to mesh them with advanced technology rather than forsake their spiritual heritage. Population According to records studied on stardate 51078.6 (2374), Betazed had a population of 5.6 billion Betazoids, 11 million humans and 6 million Centaurians. (LUG: Planets of the UFP) As of 2377, Betazed had a population of 1.3 billion Betazoids. (Star Trek: Star Charts) :Note that the Dominion invasion and subsequent fight to liberate Betazed could account for such a drastic drop in population, or one of the figures could be erroneous. Political The Betazoid government is a representative democracy led by the Ruling Council. In 2365, Pereteca Kif represented Betazed on the Federation Council. The current Betazed Federation ambassador is Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed. ( ) Betazed has achieved a significant degree of importance in Federation affairs. The value of Betazoids to the UFP as diplomats and counselors cannot be overemphasized. (LUG: Planets of the UFP) Geography Betazed is a remarkably lush, beautiful world, sometimes described as "the jewel of the outer crown" by traders and other visitors. Its gravity and atmosphere are comparable to Earth, and water covers 78 percent of the planet's surface. The planet has five continents and hundreds of islands. High mountain peaks of multicolored crystal catch the rays of the Betazoid sun, throwing delicate layers of color upon the landscape. The soil possesses crystals of a faceted green mineral called versina. The Betazoid sky is blue with pink clouds. Climatic zones range from tropical to arctic, with temperatures averaging 23 degrees Celsius in summer and 13 degrees in winter. The majority of the time, the weather is calm and pleasant in most areas, but when atmospheric conditions shift, they do so with startling speed. Average rainfall in all zones is roughly one and a half times that of Earth, though some seasons are wetter and some drier. No weather-control technology is employed. There is much farmland on Betazed, and many cities devoted to philosophical studies. Great expanses of natural wilderness cover much of the planet, varying from dense jungles to wide canyons and cliffs. Much of the major continents are dotted with lakes, and the planet is home to thousands of forms of native wildlife. Places of Interest *Medara **Plaza of Contemplation *Rixx *Dalaria **Dalaria Spaceport *Lake El-Nar *Lake Cataria *Opal Sea *Janaran Falls *Jalara Jungle *Bacarba Lake *Valley of Song **Northern cliffs *Loneel Mountains *Loneel Valley *Great Whirlpool *University of Betazed Lifeforms Botanical *''muktok'' plant *uttaberry plant Miscellaneous Deep Space 9 was quite far from Betazed, although a transport from the station often left for the planet. ( ) Starbase 19 is only a few hours at warp from Betazed. (TNG novel The Battle of Betazed) According to Q, Vash was persona non grata Betazed. ( ) The Betazed Regatta was a prestigious event in solar-sail racing. ( ) Appendices See also *Battle of Betazed *Darona References *PDN: **"Heritage" **"Broken Destiny" **"Starkindler" *''Star Trek: Star Charts'' *Last Unicorn Games RPG: **''Planets of the UFP'' *''Worlds of the Federation'' Notes In addition to canonical data, the information presented in this article is an amalgamation of data from Star Trek: Star Charts, the Last Unicorn Games RPG, Shane Johnson's Worlds of the Federation, and the Pocket Books Star Trek novels, especially Imzadi and those in the "DS9 Relaunch" continuity. Many of these sources are irreconcilably contradictory. Elements have been chosen according to what makes the most logical sense, and what can fit together the neatest. This interpretation is accepted for Star Trek: Pendragon continuity. Category:Class M planets Category:Federation members Category:Alpha Quadrant planets